1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable hand-held battery-powered crimping tool for crimping an electrical connector relative to an electrical conductor or similar device.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the prior art to provide crimping tools for crimping an electrical connector to a conductor, and for assembling cable harnesses and the like. One example of such a crimping tool is the CONNECTOOL Series 1300 Crimping Tool with Interchangeable Die Sets, marketed by CONNECTOOL INC. of Ashland, Va., assignee of the instant application. In general, this crimping tool is a manually-operable pliers-like tool having a pair of pivotally connected handles that carry a pair of crimping jaws having removably connected interchangeable pairs of die sets. Another example of such a tool is illustrated in the Erbick, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,445. Toggle means may be provided to achieve a mechanical advantage for assisting the crimping operation, and releasable ratchet means serve to restrict movement of the operating handles toward the released position.
One drawback to this type of manually operated crimping tool is that the repetitive closure of the mechanical ratcheting hand tools has the likelihood of producing carpal tunnel syndrome to the user. To alleviate this problem, it has been proposed in the prior art to provide power tools having motor means for effecting tool operation, as evidenced, for example, by the prior U. S. Patents to Chen U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,166, and Vermilyer U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,174, among others.
It is also known in the prior art to provide hand-held battery-powered tools, such as drills, as evidenced by the PALADIN Model No. 4338 Electric Drill, marketed by CONNECTOOL INC., and the electric drill marketed by Black & Decker. In this drill, the handle means that carries the drill chuck includes a battery pack and a direct-current variable speed motor for rotating the drill bit chuck. The present invention was developed utilizing these known teachings to provide an improved automatic battery-powered crimping tool that is self-contained, light-weight, safe, and durable.